Composition of matter



Patented Dec. 5, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE signor of one-half to delphia, Pa. 1

Charles S. Harper, Phila- No Drawing. Application April 3, 1928 Serial N0. 267,135

7 Claims.

It is the object and effect of my invention to produce more or less plastic, flexible and elastic compositions in which the residue of gelatinous casein dissolved in liquid hydrocarbon is used as a binding material for particles of other matter which are waste by-products of manufacturing processes, such as comminuted scraps of leather, cork, saw-dust, 0r fragments of other cellular or fibrous materials, which may be either loose or fabricated before mixture with such binding material.

I have found it convenient to make such liquid binding material by dissolving substantially chemically neutral gelatinized casein in benzol (a hydrocarbon distillate of petroleum otherwise known as benzene CaHs) until it forms a gummy liquid, the viscosity of which varies with the proportion of the casein dissolved in the hydrocarbon.

However, although I prefer to use the high grade hydrocarbon benzol; it is much more costly than the similar hydrocarbons, of varying composition, which are known to the trade as benzine, and which may be used as a solvent of gelatinized casein to produce a binding material in accordance with my invention.

Such compositions of which the principal ingredient is particles of leather, held together by such binding material, is the subject matter of Letters Patent of the United States 1,829,511 granted October 27, 1931, pursuant to my application Serial No. 263,603 filed March 21, 1928, and copending herewith. The claims in this case are limited to compositions which are principally vegetable matter and the process of making them.

The vegetable materials above contemplated may be mixed with such gummy binding liquid, in such proportions as to coat the particles and form films between them when they are pressed together in a dough-like mass which may be kneaded or otherwise manipulated or agitated until of substantially uniform consistency. Such a plastic mass may be rolled or pressed to form a plane sheet or web of any desired extent, or may be otherwise shaped by hand, or in a mold, or by any suitable means, and may be permitted to dry, spontaneously, by evaporation of the hydrocarbon, or may be warmed to accelerate its desiccation.

If the vegetable matter thus mixed with the binding liquid be cork, the resulting product is practically indistinguishable from natural cork, but without limitation as to the size thereof imposed by the limitations of growth of natural cork. If the vegetable matter thusmixed with the binding liquid be sawdust, the resulting product is an artificial wood which may be worked with tools adapted for natural woodworking and is in fact distinguishable from natural wood only in that it is of substantially uniform composition, 1. e., without grain.

Although I find it convenient to mix compositions as aforesaid of the consistency of dough for the formation of webs thereof by rolling or pressing means; I do not desire to limit myself to that method of procedure, for a composition in accordance with my invention may be primarily of the consistency of paint, sothat it may be spread to the desired form by a brushing operation. Such paint-like consistency is attained by the use of more of the hydrocarbon solvent of the casein than is used in the composition of a dough-like consistency.- That is to say; the viscosity of the mixture may be varied, at the convenience of the operator, in-accordance with the proportion of the solvent employed.v However, the solvent being volatile, the consistency of the resultant product is determined by the proportion of the solute which-is left in the composition and not by the quantity of the volatile solvent, which is merely a convenient medium for manipulating the residual ingredients duringthe process of manufacture of the products herein contemplated.

A considerable economy in the process of manufacture of my compositions aforesaid is effected by condensation and repeated use of the volatile hydrocarbon.

I may produce casein directly from cow's milk by skimming the cream therefrom; allowing the skimmed milk to stand in a warm place until it curdles; separating thecurds from the whey by percolation through suitable filtering material,

and washing the curds with water to eliminate the lactic acid therefrom. Such curds may be wrapped in a cloth and boiled to remove the fat, and dried to a horn-like consistency; such residue being substantially pure casein. However, such a binding material as herein contemplated may be formed from commercial cottage cheese by first alkalinating the cheese to neutralize any residual lactic acid therein and more or less saponify any fatty ingredients thereof, and then acidulating the mass to render it substantially chemically neutral. In accordance with that process, five pounds of such cheese may be mixed with one pint of aqua ammonia of ordinary commercial strength, i. e., containing ten percent, by weight, of the ammoniacal gas NH: dissolved in water, and allowed to stand for two hours and thereafter mixed with one ounce of hydrochloric acid. The resulting reaction renders the mass substantially chemically neutral gelatinous casein which dries to a horn-like consistency and may be broken into fragments for solution in hydrocarbon as herein contemplated.

Any of the compositions aforesaid may be reinforced by coagulating them in or upon'a textile fabric. For instance, a loosely woven textile web may be impregnated with the binding material aforesaid to form a composition which is principally cellulose fibres bound together with casein and which is adapted for use as belting or brake bands. Or a closely woven textile fabric may be coated upon one or both sides with the composition of the binding medium aforesaid mixed with particles of solid matter; in which case, the textile fabric is not visible from either face of the product. Said compositions may inelude coloring matter; and the products may be impregnated, or merely coated, with varnish or-pigment; for instance, to: simulate the skin faces of natural leather, or the graining of wood.

It is characteristic of all of the compositions of my invention herein contemplated that they are water-proof, in the sensethat they are not disintegrated by immersion in water. Moreover, they are so far resistant to the action of'electricity' as to be classed as dielectrics.

However, I do not desire to limit myself to the precise details of the process or products herein set forth, as it is obvious that various modifications may be made therein without departing from the essential features of my invention, as defined in the appended claims.

I claim: I V

1. A massive amorphous composition of matter which is coherent but not sticky and principally particles of solid elastic, vegetable, matter, united by gelatinous casein residue of a hydrocarbon solution of casein.

2. A tough flexible resilient dielectric massive amorphous composition of matter, which is tenaciously coherent but not adhesive, and'composed of particles of solid elastic, vegetable, matter connected by a binding medium which is the residue of gelatinous casein dissolved in volatile hydrocarbon.

3. A massive amorphous composition of matter including solid elastic, vegetable particles connected by a binding medium including the residue of gelatinous casein dissolved in a volatile hydrocarbon.

4. A composition of matter, which is noncorrosive and inodorous, including particles of vegatable matter comminuted to such a degree that a mass'thereof seems to be of uniform texture when passed between the fingers of the operator, said particles being connected by a binding me- .dium including the residue of casein alkalinated and acidulated to a chemically neutral state and dissolved in a volatile hydrocarbon.

5. A composition of matter, which is noncorrosive and inodorous, including particles of vegatable matter cornminutedto such'a degree that a mass thereof seems to be of uniform texture when passed between the fingers of the operator, said particles being connected by a binding medium including the residue of casein alkalinated and acidulated to a chemically neutral state and dissolved in benzol.

- 6. The process of forming a composition which is noncorrosive and inodorous, and which is principally vegetable matter, and which includes dissolving gelatinous casein in a volatile hydrocarbon, forming a gummy binding liquid, and then mixing said binding liquid with a mass of comminuted vegetable particles.

7. The process of forming a composition which is noncorrosive and inodorous, and which is principally vegetable matter, and whichincludes dissolving gelatinous casein in benzol, forming a gummy binding liquid, and then mixing said binding liquid with a mass of vegetable particles 115 comminuted to such a degree that a mass thereof seems tobe of uniform texture when passed between the fingers of the operator. 

